diff --git a/src/apps/api/views/competitions.py b/src/apps/api/views/competitions.py
index eb74f1002..4f6288da9 100644
--- a/src/apps/api/views/competitions.py
+++ b/src/apps/api/views/competitions.py
@@ -45,18 +45,16 @@ class CompetitionViewSet(ModelViewSet):
 
     def get_queryset(self):
         qs = super().get_queryset()
-
+        # Filter for search bar
+        search_query = self.request.query_params.get('search')
+        # If user is logged in
         if self.request.user.is_authenticated:
-
             # filter by competition_type first, 'competition' by default
             competition_type = self.request.query_params.get('type', Competition.COMPETITION)
-
             if competition_type != 'any' and self.detail is False:
                 qs = qs.filter(competition_type=competition_type)
-
             # Filter to only see competitions you own
             mine = self.request.query_params.get('mine', None)
-
             if mine:
                 # either competition is mine
                 # or
@@ -64,25 +62,19 @@ def get_queryset(self):
                 qs = Competition.objects.filter(
                     (Q(created_by=self.request.user)) |
                     (Q(collaborators__in=[self.request.user]))
-
                 )
-
             participating_in = self.request.query_params.get('participating_in', None)
-
             if participating_in:
                 qs = qs.filter(participants__user=self.request.user, participants__status="approved")
-
             participant_status_query = CompetitionParticipant.objects.filter(
                 competition=OuterRef('pk'),
                 user=self.request.user
             ).values_list('status')[:1]
             qs = qs.annotate(participant_status=Subquery(participant_status_query))
-
             # `mine` is true when this is called from "Benchmarks I'm Running"
             # `participating_in` is true when this is called from "Benchmarks I'm in"
-            # `mine` and `participating_in` are none when this is called either from Search bar
-            # or from competition detail page
-            if (not mine) and (not participating_in):
+            # `search_query` is true when this is called from the search bar
+            if search_query:
                 # User is logged in then filter
                 # competitions which this user owns
                 # or
@@ -98,11 +90,14 @@ def get_queryset(self):
                     (Q(participants__user=self.request.user) & Q(participants__status="approved"))
                 ).distinct()
         else:
-            # if user is not authenticated only filter published/public competitions
-            qs = qs.filter(Q(published=True))
+            # if user is not authenticated only show public competitions in the search
+            if (search_query):
+                qs = qs.filter(Q(published=True))
 
         # On GETs lets optimize the query to reduce DB calls
         if self.request.method == 'GET':
+
+            logger.warning("\n\nGET\n\n")
             qs = qs.select_related('created_by')
             if self.action != 'list':
                 qs = qs.select_related('created_by')
@@ -125,7 +120,6 @@ def get_queryset(self):
                     ), distinct=True)
                 )
 
-        search_query = self.request.query_params.get('search')
         # search_query is true when called from searchbar
         if search_query:
             qs = qs.filter(Q(title__icontains=search_query) | Q(description__icontains=search_query))